With its heavier story focus compared to prior titles, Monster Hunter Wilds‘ characters are given more to work with and are thus able to shine more brightly. It helps that they have names rather than just a title, as is the case with Monster Hunter World and the series’ prior games. The heavier cinematic focus helps too, allowing players to endear themselves to characters like Alma, Gemma, and even The Hunter (the player character), although this sacrifices player control to make the Low Rank sections of the game more linear despite the vastness of the open world.

Still, not every character has been as well liked as Alma and Gemma. There are those that don’t get to shine as much because they aren’t a part of the Avis Unit, like Olivia and the rest of the Astrum unit. Some are able to entertain with the limited screen time that they are given, as is the case with the comedically eloquent Wudwud, Rove. One particular character, Nata, doesn’t have the issue of limited screen time but has still become disliked, but he is still a better-written character than MH World‘s Handler.

Monster Hunter Wilds’ Nata Is Still Better Than World’s Handler

Many Of His Annoyances Can Be More Easily Forgotten

Nata has emerged as MH Wilds‘ most hated character for several reasons, mainly because of how annoying he can be and how he flip-flops between hating and trying to save the Arkveld despite the monster losing control of its senses. His self-pity makes his uselessness in Low Rank even more annoying, although these annoyances can be easily forgiven in my mind. Nata is a traumatized child whose world has been turned upside down and his brain is struggling to process all the information given to him throughout the story. His behavior can be irritating, but it is understandable.

Monster Hunter World‘s Handler is hated for largely the same reasons that Nata is. She’s annoying, doesn’t come across as very useful since the Hub Lass can do what she can, and while Nata almost gets the Avis Unit in trouble a few times, World‘s Handler gets her Hunter in terrible situations constantly. She often needs saving after getting herself in trouble, never seems to apologize for her behavior, and her role isn’t well-defined enough compared to Alma’s for her to seem useful. Although young, she isn’t a child, like Nata, nor does she come across as traumatized.

The Handler in both base-game World and Iceborne runs head first into trouble constantly and requires the Hunter to save her, but still refers to herself as the Hunter’s partner, discounting their Palico, who is on the front lines against Elder and Black Dragons. Calling herself the Hunter’s partner seems disingenuous, considering how little she seems to do. Nata may have put himself in danger twice, with him wanting to fight the Arkveld with a rock, then wanting to stop the Hunter from harming the monster, but he sincerely apologized for both incidents.

Nata Goes Through An Arc While The Handler Doesn’t Seem To Learn

It Is A Shame Given How Much Screen Time The Handler Gets

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Nata does grow as the story goes on, beginning as someone who understands nothing and wants revenge against the Arkveld to someone with the maturity to act as Village Intermediary, bearing responsibility on behalf of his people. He is curious, as is practically everyone in the Guild, and seems to be willing to learn from others in the Avis Unit. He may not always listen to them and have very few uses before Wilds‘ High Rank, but he does grow as a character, even if that growth isn’t handled brilliantly at times.

The Guardian Arkveld is an artificial version of the ancient Arkveld, but MH Wilds is the monster’s first appearance.

Compare this to the Handler, who seems hellbent on doing what she wants (particularly in Iceborne with her research) to the detriment of her Hunter. This never changes, she never seems to learn, and this seems like it could have been the building blocks for an arc. She could have started as the danger-prone Handler everyone seems to hate, then grew into someone who takes their role more seriously, rather than a damsel that needs saving. It doesn’t help that she repeats lines constantly and often comes across as inept, with the Hunter’s competence masking her incompetence.

She is largely the result of growing pains and the lean toward a heavier story focus in MH World compared to prior titles. Capcom gave the Handler character through her curiosity, which would have been fine if that didn’t make her incompetent. She comes across as green throughout World, which could have been great if she had learned and become more useful as the game went on, but this isn’t the case. It isn’t clear what she does in the field, and although she seems to be working on research constantly, this doesn’t benefit the player in any way.

Monster Hunter Has Learned From MH World’s Handler

Alma Is What A Handler Should Be

With the Handler largely being a static character, she is made to look worse compared to Wilds‘ Alma, her successor. Alma is curious, as anyone in the Guild should be, but this curiosity is tempered with calm compassion. Rather than run head-first in danger, she analyzes a situation, gets innocent people out of harm’s way, and ensures that Nata is cared for. She has her flaws, sometimes lacking confidence and resolve, with her obsession with ancient artifacts getting her in trouble with the Wudwuds, but that makes her more of a character, not more annoying.

It helps that Alma’s role is more defined compared to the Handler from MH World. She is able to act as the Guild’s voice, offering permission to slay certain monsters, and while out on the field she will offer tips, ensuring players won’t miss severed parts and will even pick up useful items during a hunt. In many ways, she doubles as a field researcher, but her desire for research isn’t the reason others are put in harm’s way. She is there to help the Avis Unit, and by ensuring that this remains her focus, it feels like her and the Hunter are a team.

MH World‘s Handler constantly saying, “we did it,” is grating when it isn’t clear what she is actually doing most of the time. Alma’s role is clear and Nata’s flaws, which he sometimes shares with the Handler, can be more forgiven since he mellows out later on. He’s also a traumatized child and the events of Wilds take their toll on the boy, but he learns while the Handler never does. Sure, he’s annoying and is probably the game’s most hated character, but that shows a writing improvement from World, even if Monster Hunter Wilds‘ writing is still pretty generic.